Due to Coronavirus, people have shifted towards online video conferencing to deal with their office work. As a result, Zoom, a video conferencing app, climbed up on top of the charts to become one of the most downloaded apps.
Recently, it was caught for selling user data to Facebook and having many vulnerabilities, like no end-to-end encryption and numerous other security flaws. Hence, we have compiled a list of 11 Zoom alternatives.
ALSO READ: The Best Free Video Conferencing Platforms of 2023 for a comprehensive guide to free video conferencing platforms, including unique experiences like Kumospace.
Top 11 Free Zoom Alternatives For Video Chat
1) Skype
The first and one of the reliable options that come to anyone’s mind is, yes, you guessed it, Skype. What makes Skype a reliable option is the ability of the app to call up to 50 people, and it’s available on nearly every platform.
In addition to that, it’s free, and has a much better history than Zoom for privacy, and is owned by Microsoft. The app also has screen sharing and other handy features like screen recording. Moreover, Skype has (today) added a new ‘Meet Now’ feature that allows users to join video meetings without signups or downloads.
DOWNLOAD SKYPE
2) Google Hangouts Meet
Google’s Hangouts Meet needs no introduction. Recently, Google has made changes due to the pandemic where Gsuite users can use the premium version of Hangouts Meet for free without any additional cost. 
Some of the great features of this app include support for up to 250 participants (far more than Skype) and the ability to record the meeting and save them in Google Drive. Typically, Hangouts Meet for businesses and organizations comes with G Suite plans, which start from $6/month.
DOWNLOAD HANGOUTS MEET (PLAYSTORE)
3) Discord
Discord is another excellent and free Zoom alternative. The app is popular with gamers but can be used by anyone looking for a great communication experience. Users can also set up a dedicated “server,” which can be organized into rooms (similar to Slack) that host video and text-based chats.
No denying, using discord is quite complex to set up, but it will be your go-to service for video conferencing once done. The app developers recently increased the limit of live video calls from 10 users to 50. The app is available on most web browsers, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.
DOWNLOAD DISCORD
4) Cisco Webex
Webex has been around for quite a long time, which has its own level of expertise. Cisco acquired the app in 2007. While it’s been mainly known as an application for business, it continues to focus on serving corporations; it has a free version that’s worth trying out.
For the current conditions, the company has extended the premium version features from 50 to 100 participants. They also got rid of the 40-minute limit on meetings and have added call-in abilities.
DOWNLOAD CISCO WEBEX
5) MeetFox
Unlike any other app in this list, MeetFox is an app made for having 1:1 meetings easily. What makes this app different from others is, it provides your clients with the ability to schedule meetings, which is a fantastic feature if time is your most valuable asset.
If you’re an important person and want to get paid for the time you spend talking to your clients, MeetFox allows you to set an amount that will be paid by the client to schedule a meeting. We tested it out, and the quality of the video was great.
MeetFox is only available on the web, but Android and iOS versions of the app are coming soon. Overall, it is a great application and is one of the best Zoom alternatives on this list.
VISIT MEETFOX
6) Starleaf
You might not have heard of StarLeaf if you don’t work in an MNC. It’s a platform made for large companies. Due to the pandemic, it is offering basic video calling free of cost, or you would have to contact the salesperson to buy plans. Overall, it is a great application.
DOWNLOAD STARLEAF (PLAYSTORE)
7) Google Duo
The Duo is Google’s answer to Apple’s Facetime. We tried the app, and the video quality was amazing. The only con of this app is, the group video calling is limited to 8 people; hence, it might not be suitable for offices. But, for those of you who are quarantined, it is perfect a perfect app to connect with your loved ones, if you’re not only.
DOWNLOAD DUO (PLAYSTORE)
8) Slack
Slack has undergone a design overhaul recently and is mainly used for text chats, but it also gives you the ability to make voice and video calls. However, if you’re on the free version, you can make a video call to an individual. If you want to host meetings on this app, you might want to look somewhere else.
DOWNLOAD SLACK
9) Google Hangouts
This version of Google Hangouts is the classic version and is still available, although it is not being promoted by the company, which is focusing on Hangouts Meet for G Suite users. You can use Hangouts to video chat with up to 10 people. You can add text messages and also share screens, but that’s everything about it.
DOWNLOAD HANGOUTS (PLAYSTORE)
10) Jitsi Meet
Jitsi Meet is an open-source platform that you’ve probably never heard about. It lets you easily meet online by navigating to the website and clicking on “Go.” It is the only web app in the list which offers many features found in more well-known apps, such as chat, session recording (stored in Dropbox), and the ability to kick out bad participants.
It supports up to 75 participants at once, has a private chat option, and can be integrated with Slack, Google Calendar, and Office 365.
DOWNLOAD JITSIMEET
11) Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams was built to rival Slack. As it’s part of Microsoft 365, you can collaborate on various Office documents, and it also offers video conferencing features. Currently, Microsoft is offering G Suite the opportunity to use Office 365 free for six months.
DOWNLOAD MICROSOFT TEAMS
Just in case, you don’t prefer any Zoom alternatives mentioned above, or (maybe) you want to stick with Zoom (itself), then consider securing it. We have an article on how to secure your Zoom chat. If you have any queries, let us know in the comment section below.
CamSurf
If you come across anyone who’s clearly going against Camsurf’s terms of use, you can report them to the site to reduce the chances that it’ll happen again. The random chats will always be random, obviously, but you can make them a little more specific with location or language filters.
